Cracking Open: Amazon Kindle Touch (2011)

Amazon Kindle Touch (2011) Teardown

At the same time Amazon launched the Kindle Fire tablet, it also introduced three new Kindle e-ink readers--the Kindle, Kindle Touch, and Kindle Touch 3G. I've already cracked open the Kindle Fire and 2011 Kindle. All that's left is the Kindle Touch.

As of this writing, the 2011 Kindle Touch is available for $99.00 (with Special Offers) and $139 (without Special Offers). The 3G version of the Touch is available for $149 (with Special Offers) and $189 (without Special Offers).

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch:

The Kindle Touch has two internal speakers.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublicCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch:

Along the bottom edge of the Kindle Touch are a 3.5mm headphone jack, Micro- port, and a power button.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublicCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Popping loose the back cover

Using a thin metal blade, I popped loose the Kindle Touch's back cover.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublicCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Removing the back cover

Once loose, I slide the back cover down and away from the Kindle Touch.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublicCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: First look inside

Lifting the cover off the Kindle Touch, we get our first look inside the Amazon e-book reader.

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Internal hardware

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublicCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Removing the battery screws

Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver bit, I removed the screws holding the Kindle Touch's Li-Ion battery in place.

Being a Wi-Fi only Kindle Touch, this unit has a black, plastic spacer in place of a cellular card.

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Cellular card spacer

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Wi-Fi antenna support

A clear plastic bracket is attached to the display assembly with metal tape and to the motherboard with weak adhesive. Using a thin metal blade, I separated the bracket from the motherboard, but left it attached to the display assembly.

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Texas Instrument CEF TI J 15YN

Like the 2011 Barnes & Noble Nook, the Kindle Touch uses the Neonode zForce touch screen system. This technology uses a series of transmitters and receivers (likely IR) to create a grid above the display. As an object, such as your finger, passes through the grid, the system translates its movement into actions on the display.

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Motherboard - Back

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
Caption by: Bill Detwiler

About Bill Detwiler

Bill Detwiler is Managing Editor of TechRepublic and Tech Pro Research and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop supp...

Disclosure

Bill Detwiler has nothing to disclose. He doesn't hold investments in the technology companies he covers.

Full Bio

Bill Detwiler is Managing Editor of TechRepublic and Tech Pro Research and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop support specialist in the social research and energy industries. He has bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Louisville, where he has also lectured on computer crime and crime prevention.

While I find cracking open hardware interesting at times, I really enjoy the advice/helpful hint videos from TR Dojo. I hope the new name "Cracking Open" doesn't reflect a loss of the (advice and helpful hints) videos.

To see both the image and the image navigation bar, I have to scroll the screen upward a bit. When I select the next image, the screen returns to its original home position. Surely there must be some way to leave the screen scrolled where it was when the new image appears? Other websites seem to do this regularly.